A conventional mechanical slot machine is a device that uses a set of vertically oriented reels. Each reel comprises a plurality of symbols at various positions around the reel, only three of which are usually oriented towards the user. The reels are arranged next to each other so that the symbols that are oriented towards the user may be regarded as falling on one or more lines extending across the reels.
The machines are configured to allow players to play games on the machines. When a game is played on the machine, the reels rotate and then stop rotating. Once they have stopped, if there are particular predetermined combinations or arrangements of symbols on the reels which are oriented towards the player, prizes are awarded. The arrangement and relative position of the symbols oriented towards the player is referred to as the “outcome” of the game.
In the more modern electronic versions of these machines, a random number generator is used to determine the outcome of each game. Typically, the reels are not actual reels, but are simulated (or “pseudo”) reels—that is, images of reels presented on a display screen. In the description below, where reference is made to a reel, or the nature or operation of a reel, this is to be taken to include a reference to a simulated reel.
Each game is typically governed by a set of rules which determines whether a prize is awarded to the player, and the value of the prize, depending on the particular outcome of the game, and in particular, whether the outcome meets predetermined criteria.
One known game which has five reels is referred to as having a three-by-five display. This basis for this name is that, each reel, at any rotational position at which it stops rotating, has three circumferentially positioned symbols that are oriented towards the plays. Thus, with the reels being disposed adjacent to one another, the relevant three symbols of each of the reels together with those of the other reels are arranged in an array having three rows and five columns of symbols.
Each of the three rows is referred to as a “line”. While the word “line” in this context has historically only referred to a horizontal straight-line arrangement of symbols, the meaning has evolved over the years. The word “line” in this context now refers to an any arrangement of juxtaposed symbols, consisting of one symbol per reel, where each pair of adjacent symbols either fall in the same row of the array, or are one row removed from each other. Thus, a five-by-three reel game can have as many as 243 lines, 25 of which are shown in FIG. 9.
Typically, a player can place a particular bet on one or more lines of the game. The rules of the game may, for example, dictate that the occurrence of a certain combination of reel symbols falling on a predetermined line (as defined above) constitutes a win. The rules may also, for example, dictate the amount of a monetary award that is made to the player in the event that such a win is achieved, this amount bearing a predetermined relationship to (for example being a multiple of) the monetary amount of the bet placed by the player. If a game is played and no win is achieved, the amount bet by the player is usually forfeited. The amount that has been bet, and the amount that is awarded as a prize, is typically represented as a number of credits.
The video screen, apart from displaying the reels themselves, also typically reflects the current status of the player's credits, including the total amount of credits remaining on the machine, the total value of the bet placed on the last game played, and the total amount won on the last game played.
FIG. 1 shows a slot machine similar to that of the prior art. The slot machine has a video screen 1 and an internal microprocessor (not shown). In order to play a game, the player first needs to purchase credits on the slot machine. This can be done by inserting coins (as indicted by the reference numeral 2), bank notes (as indicted by the reference numeral 3) or tickets (as indicted by the reference numeral 4) into the machine, or by electronic fund transfer.
The player interacts with the machine by pressing buttons 6 on a front panel. The video screen 1, which displays the features of the game, is touch-sensitive in most embodiments, allowing the player to also interact with the game by pressing selectors 7 displayed on the screen. When the buttons 6 or selectors 7 are depressed, this serves as a command to the machine, and the microprocessor processes the command and performs the associated functions.
One such function includes the selection, by the player, of the number of lines on which the player wishes to place bets and the number of credits the player wishes to bet on each such line. This makes up the total bet placed. The player starts the game by triggering the spin of the simulated reels by operating suitable controls on the machine. After the conclusion of the spin, the screen displays the outcome of the game and any prizes that are awarded.
Often, additional awards are allocated to players depending on the occurrence of specific outcomes or combinations of outcomes of a game or games. Such awards are often called “features” or, when they are constituted by further games, may be called “bonus games”. Players often have a preference for a particular game because they enjoy playing the feature of that game.
The feature is usually in the form of one or more bonus rounds of the game, which can consist of free games, games in which multiples of the standard prizes are available, re-spins in which a special set of reel strips (the set of symbols appearing on the reels) are used, a second screen in which the player is able to select special awards, or a combination of these.
It will be appreciated that the chance of a feature of a particular game occurring increases the longer that the player plays the game. Many experienced players learn to expect a feature to be awarded once a certain number of games have been played. If the number of games played before a feature is awarded significantly exceeds the number of games expected by a player, the player may become bored of the game. In light of this, and in an endeavor to balance the desire of machine operators not to offer too many features with the desire of players to derive excitement from the games played, many game designers strive for innovative ways of maintaining players' interest in the games that they play.
One known way of attempting to enhance the experience of players is to provide gaming machines with a greater number of lines on which bets can be placed. However the desirability of this feature is limited due to the availability of another known incentive referred to as a “scatter prize” (or “scatter win” or “scatter pay”). This is a prize that is awarded based on a combination of particular reel symbols (“scatter symbols”) that do not fall on a single line as defined above, but which are in a scattered arrangement. Accordingly, the chance of a scatter prize being awarded is not dependant on the number of lines on which bets are placed, and therefore the incentive to bet on a greater number of lines is reduced.
Game designers have tried to enhance player enjoyment by increasing the number of scatter symbols appearing on the reels when players increase the amount of their bets, but it has been found that this negatively affects the integrity of the games. In addition, the fact that more scatter symbols are provided on the reels is not readily apparent to players, and this offsets the potential benefit to player enjoyment that might otherwise result from the greater number of such symbols.
Another approach is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,832,957. This patent discloses a gaming device having multiple sets of identical simulated reels. A player is able to place bets on pay lines on one or more sets of reels. One of the embodiments disclosed provides a variation on the traditional “scatter prize”. A player is awarded credits or one or more bonus games as a “scatter pay” when a predetermined number of identical symbols appear on the sets of reels. The greater the number of sets of reels that are provided in a particular game, the greater the chance that the same gaming symbol will appear in that game. On one hand, this results in more frequent “scatter pay” awards being issued, with a resultant increase in player excitement. However, the gaming device disclosed in this patent does not derive any further benefit from the fact that this game involves a plurality of simultaneously played games.
While many establishments make a large number of the known types of gaming machines available for players to use, the machines typically operate independently of one another so that the game-playing experience is not shared between players. This can result in an inefficient use of gaming resources and limited player satisfaction.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to overcome or ameliorate disadvantages or limitations of the prior art, or to provide an alternative thereto.